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Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas - Regulations - Laws RB
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Republic Act No. 7353 (An Act Providing for the Creation, Organization
and Operation of Rural Banks, and for Other Purposes)
Republic of the Philippines
Congress of the Philippines
Metro, Manila
Fifth Regular Session
Begun and held in Metro, Manila, on Monday, the twenty- second day of July, nineteen hundred and ninety-one.
____
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7353
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE CREATION, ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF RURAL BANKS, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. This Act shall be known and cited as the "Rural Act of 1992."
Sec. 2. The State hereby recognizes the need to promote comprehensive rural development with the end in view of
attaining acquitable distribution of opportunities, income and wealth; a sustained increase in the amount of goods and
services produced by the nation of the benefit of the people; and in expanding productivity as a key raising the quality of life
for all, especially the underprivileged.
Towards these ends, the State hereby encourages and assists in the establishment of rural banking system designed to
make needed credit available and readily accessible in the rural areas on reasonable terms.
Sec. 3. In furtherance of this policy, the Monetary Board of the Central Bank of the Philippines shall formulate the necessary
rules and regulations governing the establishment and operation of rural banks for the purpose of providing adequate credit
facilities to farmers and merchants, or to cooperatives of such farmers and merchants and in general, the people of the rural
communities, and to supervise the operation of such banks.
Sec. 4. No rural bank shall be operated without a Certificate of Authority from the Monetary Board of the Central Bank.
Rural banks shall be organized in the form of stock corporations. Upon consultation with the rural banks in the area, duly
established cooperatives and corporations primarily organize to hold equities in rural banks may organize a rural bank
and/or subscribe to the shares of stock of any rural bank: Provided, That a cooperative or corporation owning or controlling
the whole or majority of the voting stock of the rural bank shall be subject to special examination and to such rules and
regulations as the Monetary Board may prescribe. With exception of shareholdings of corporations organized primarily to
hold equities in rural banks as provided for under Section 12-C of Republic Act 337, as amended, and of Filipino-controlled
domestic banks, the capital stock of any rural bank shall be fully owned and held directly or indirectly by citizens of the
Philippines or corporations, associations or cooperatives qualified under Philippine laws to own and hold such capital stock:
Provided, That any provisions of existing laws to own and hold such capital stock: Provided, That any provision of existing
laws to the contrary notwithstanding, stockholdings in a rural bank shall be exempt from any ownership ceiling for a period
of ten (10) years from the approval of this Act: Provided, further, That any such exemption shall require the approval of the
Monetary Board. If subscription of private shareholders to the capital stock of rural cannot be secured or is not available, or
insufficient to meet the normal credit needs of the locality, the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the
Philippines, or any government-owned or controlled bank or financial institution, on representation of the said private
shareholders but subject to the investment guidelines, policies and procedures of the bank or financial institution and upon
approval of the Monetary Board of the Central Bank, shall subscribe to the capital stock of such rural bank, which shall be
paid in full at the time of subscription, in an amount equal to the fully paid subscribe and unimpaired capital of the private
stockholders or such amount as the Monetary Board may prescribed as may be necessary to promote and expand rural
economic development: Provided, however, That such shares of stock subscribe by the Land Bank of the Philippines, the
Development Bank of the Philippines or any government-owned or controlled bank or financial institution may be sold at any
time at market value to private individuals who are citizens of the Philippines: Provided, finally, That in the sale of shares of
stock subscribed by the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development bank of the Philippines or any government-owned
or controlled bank or financial institution, the registered stockholders shall have the right of preemption within one (1) year
from the date of offer in proportion to their respective holdings, but in the absence of such buyer, preference, however, shall
be given to residents of the locality or province where the rural bank is located.
Sec. 5. All members of the Board of Directors of the rural bank shall be citizens of the Philippines at the time of their
assumption to office: Provided, however, That nothing in this Act shall be construed as prohibiting any appointive or elective
public official from serving as director, officer, consultant or in any capacity in the bank.
No Director or officer of any rural bank shall, either directly or indirectly, for himself or as the representative or agent of
another borrow any of the deposits or funds of such banks, nor shall he become a guarantor, indorser, or surety for loans
from such bank to others, or in any manner be an obligor for money borrowed from the bank or loaned by it except with the
written approval of the majority of the directors of the bank, excluding the director concerned. Any such approval shall be
entered upon the records of the corporation and a copy of such entry shall be transmitted forthwith to the appropriate
supervising department. The director/officer of the bank who violates the provisions of this section shall be immediately
dismissed from his office and shall be penalized in accordance with Section 26 of this Act.
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The Monetary Board may regulate the amount of credit accommodations that may be extended directly to the directors,
officers or stockholders of rural banks of banking institutions. However, the outstanding credit accommodations which a
rural bank may extend to each of its stockholders owning two percent (2%) or more of the subscribed capital stock, its
directors, or officers shall be limited to an amount equivalent to the respective outstanding deposits and book value of the
paid-in capital contributions in the bank.

Sec. 6. Loans or advances extended by rural banks organized and operated under this Act shall be primarily for the
purpose of meeting the normal credit needs of farmers, fishermen or farm families owning or cultivating land dedicated to
agricultural production as well as the normal credit needs of cooperatives and merchants. In granting of loans, the rural
bank shall give preference to the application of farmers and merchant whose cash requirements are small.

Loans may be granted by rural banks on the security of lands without Torrens Title where the owner of private property can
show five (5) years on more peaceful, continuous and uninterrupted possession in concept of owner; or of portions of friar
land estates or other lands administered by the Bureau of Lands that are covered by sales contracts and the purchase have
paid at least five (5) years installment thereon, without the necessity of prior approval and consent by the Director of lands;
or of portions of other estates under the administration of the Department of Agrarian Reform or other government agency
which are likewise covered by sales contracts and the purchasers have paid at least five (5) years installment thereon,
without the necessity of prior approval and consent of the Department of Agrarian Reform or corresponding government
agency; or of homesteads or free patent lands pending the issuance of titles but already approved, are issued, the
provisions of any law or regulations to the contrary notwithstanding: Provided, That when the corresponding titles are
issued, the same shall be delivered to the Register of Deeds of the province where such lands are situated to the
annotation of the encumbrance: Provided, further, That in the case of lands pending homestead of free patent titles, copies
of notices for the presentation of the final proof shall also be furnished the creditor rural bank and, if the borrower applicants
fail to present the final proof within thirty (30) days from date of notice, the creditor rural bank may do so for them at their
expense: Provided, furthermore, That the applicant for homestead or free patent has already made improvements on the
land and the loan applied for is to be used for further development of the same or for other productive economic activities:
Provided, finally, That the appraisal and verification of the status of a land is a full responsibility of the rural bank and any
loan granted on any land which shall be found later to be within the forest zone shall be for the sole account of the rural
bank.

The foreclosure of mortgage covering loans granted by rural banks and executions of judgment thereon involving real
properties levied upon by a sheriff shall be exempt from the publications in newspaper now required by law where the total
amount of loan, excluding interest due and unpaid, does not exceed One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000) or such
amount as the Monetary Board may prescribe as may be warranted by prevailing economic conditions. It shall be sufficient
publication in such cases if the notices of foreclosure and execution of judgment are posted in the most conspicuous area of
the municipal building, the municipal public market, the rural bank, the barangay hall, the barangay public market, if any,
where the land mortgaged is situated during the period of sixty (60) days immediately preceding the public auction or
execution of judgment. Proof of publication as required herein shall be accomplished by an affidavit of the sheriff or officer
conducting the foreclosure sale or execution of judgment and shall be attached with the records of the case: Provided, That
when a homestead or free patent is foreclosed, the homesteader or free patent holder, as well as his heirs shall have the
right to redeem the same within one (1) year from the date of the registration of the foreclosure in the case of land covered
by a Torrens Title: Provided, finally, That in any case, borrowers, especially those who are mere tenants, need only to
secure their loans with the procedure corresponding to their share.

A rural bank shall be allowed to foreclose lands mortgaged to it: Provided, That said lands shall be covered under Republic
Act No. 6657.

Sec. 7. With the view to ensuring the balanced rural economic growth and expansion, rural banks may, within limits and
conditions fixed by the Monetary Board, devote a portion of their loanable funds to meeting the normal credit needs of small
business enterprises: provided, That loans shall not exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the net worth of a rural bank of such
amount as the Monetary Board may prescribe as may be warranted by prevailing economic conditions, and of essential
enterprises or industries, other than those which are strictly agricultural in nature.

Sec. 8. To provide supplemental capital to any rural bank until it has accumulated enough capital of its own or stimulate
private investments in rural banks, the Land Bank of the Philippines or any government-owned or controlled bank or
financial institution shall subscribe within thirty (30) days to the capital stock of any rural bank from time to time in an
amount equal to the total equity investment of the private shareholders which shall be paid in full at the time of the
subscription of such amount as may be necessary to promote and expand rural economic development: Provided, however,
That shares of stock issued to the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the Philippines or any
government-owned or -controlled bank or financial institution, may, pursuant to this section, at any time, be paid off at par
and retired in whole or in part if the rural bank has accumulated enough capital strength to permit retirement of such shares;
or if an offer is received from private sources to replace the equity investment of the Land Bank of the Philippines, the
Development Bank of the Philippines or any government-owned or –controlled bank or financial institution with an
equivalent investment or more in the equity of such bank. In case of retirement of stock or replacement of equity investment
of the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the Philippines or any government-owned or –controlled bank
or financial institution, the registered private shareholders of the rural bank shall have the right of preemption within one (1)
year from the date of offer in proportion to their respective holdings.

Stock held by the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the Philippines or by any government-owned or –
controlled bank or financial institution, under the terms of this section, shall be made preferred only as to assets upon
liquidation and without power to vote and shall share in dividend distribution from the date of issuance in the amount of four
percent (4%) on the first and second years, six percent (6%) on the third and fourth years, eight percent (8%) on the fifth
and sixth years, ten percent (10%) on the seventh and eighth years and twelve percent (12%) on the ninth to the fifteen
years without preference: Provided, however, That is such stock of the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development bank
of the Philippines or any government-owned or –controlled bank or financial institution is sold to private shareholders, the
same may be converted into common stock of the class provide for in Section 10 hereof: Provided, further, That pending the
amendment of Articles of Incorporation of the rural bank, if necessary, for the purpose of reflecting the conversion into
common stock of preferred stock sold to private stockholders, the transfer shall be recorded by the rural bank in the stock
and transfer book and such shareholders shall thereafter enjoy all the rights and privileges of common stockholders. The
preferred stocks so transferred shall be surrendered and cancelled and the corresponding common stocks shall be issued.

The corporate secretary of the rural bank shall submit to the Central Bank and the Securities and Exchange Commission a
report on every transfer of preferred stock to private shareholders, and such report received by the Securities and
Exchange Commission shall form part of the corporate records of rural bank. When all the prepared shares of stock of a
rural bank have been sold to private shareholders, the Articles of Incorporation of the rural bank shall be amended to reflect

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the conversion of the preferred shares of stock into common stock. For this purpose, the President, the corporate secretary,
and a majority of the Board of Directors, shall be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which shall attach the
same to the original Articles of Incorporation on file with said office.

The Securities and Exchange Commission shall not register and amended Articles of Incorporation unless accompanied by
the Certificate of Authority required under Section 9 of Republic Act No. 337, as amended.

All supervised past due and restructured past due loans, including those covered under existing rehabilitation programs of
the Central Bank, and fifty percent (50%) of non-supervised past due and restructured past due loans including accrued
interest thereon on rural banks organized under Republic Act No. 720, as amended, as of December 31, 1986, shall be
converted into preferred stocks, of the rural bank and issued in favor of the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development
Bank of the Philippines or any government-owned or –controlled bank or financial institution: Provided, That penalties
thereon are hereby warned except accrued interest on arrearages: Provided, further, That rural banks that prefer to settle
their arrearages under a plan or payment or a combination of both plan of payment and conversion may do so in
accordance with existing regulations and provisions of this Act: Provided, furthermore, That rural banks shall match these
preferred stocks with private equity in equal annual installments over a period of fifteen (15) years to begin three (3) years
after conversion: Provided, finally, That the Central Bank, the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the
Philippines and any government-owned and –controlled bank or financial institution shall continue to rediscount subject to
their respective programs, policies and guidelines against papers evidencing a loan granted by a rural bank in order to
achieve the declared policy and promote the objectives of this Act.

Sec. 9. The Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the Philippines, or any government-owned or –
controlled bank or financial institution may obtain from any source as may be authorized under existing laws and regulations
such amount as it may require for the purpose of subscribing to the shares of stock of rural bank: as provided in Section 13
of this Act.

Sec. 10. Stock certificates shall be issued to represent the contributions to capital stock of the rural bank by the
Government through the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the Philippines or through any
government-owned or –controlled bank or financial institutions, and by qualified persons under such terms and conditions
as the Monetary Board mat prescribe. The powers of the Monetary Board over rural banks shall extend to prescribing the
amount, value and class of stock issued by any rural bank, organized under this Act.

Sec. 11. The power to supervise the operation of any rural bank by the Monetary Board as herein indicated shall consists in
placing limits to the maximum credit allowed to any individual borrower; in prescribing the interest rate; in determining the
loan period and loan procedures; in indicating the manner in which technical assistance shall be extended to rural banks; in
imposing a uniform accounting system and manner of keeping the accounts and records of rural banks; in instituting
periodic surveys of loan and lending procedures, audits, test-check of cash and other transactions of the rural banks; and,
in general in supervising the business operations of the rural banks.

The Central bank shall have the power to enforce the laws, orders, instructions, rules and regulations promulgated by the
Monetary Board applicable to rural banks; to require rural banks, their directors, officers and agents to conduct and manage
the affairs of the rural banks in a lawful and orderly manner, and, upon proof that the rural bank of its Board of Directors, or
officers are conducting and managing the affairs of the banking in a manner contrary to the laws, orders, instructions, rules
and regulations promulgated by the Monetary Board or in a manner substantially prejudicial in the interest of the
Government, depositors or creditors, to take over the management of such bank when specifically authorized to do so by
the Monetary Board after due hearing process until a new board of directors and officers are elected and qualified without
prejudice to the prosecution of the persons for such violations under the provisions of Sections 32, 33 and 34 of Republic
Act No. 265, as amended.

The management of the rural bank by the Central Bank shall be without expense to the rural bank, except such as is
actually necessary for its operation, pending the election and qualification of a new board of directors and officers to take
place of those responsible for the violations or acts contrary to the interest of the Government, depositors or creditors.

The director and the examiners of the department of the Central Bank charged with the supervision of rural banks are
hereby authorized to administer oaths to any director, officer or employee of any rural bank or to any voluntary witness and
to compel the presentation of all books, documents, papers or records necessary in his or their judgment to ascertain the
facts relative to the true condition of any rural bank or to any loan

Sec. 12. In addition to the operations especially authorized in this Act, any rural bank may:

a. Accept saving and time deposit;

b. Open current or checking accounts, provided the rural bank has net assets of at least Five million (P5,000,000)
subject to such guidelines as may be established by the Monetary Board:
c. Act as correspondent for other financial institutions;
d. Act as a collection agent;
e. Act as official depositary of municipal, city or provincial funds in the municipality, city or province where it is located,
subject to such guidelines as may be established by the Monetary Board;
f. Rediscount paper with the Philippine National Bank, the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the
Philippines, or any other banking institution, including its branches and agencies. Said institution shall specify the
nature of paper deemed acceptable for rediscount, as well as the rediscount rate to be charged by any of these
institutions;
g. Offer other banking service as provided in Section 72 of Republic Act No. 337, as amended, and
h. Extend financial assistance to public and private employees in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 of
Republic Act No. 3779, as amended.

With written permission of the Monetary Board of the Central bank, any rural bank may act as trustee over estates or
properties of farmer and merchants.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as precluding a rural bank from performing, with prior approval of the Monetary
Board, all the services authorized and mortgage banks, of for commercial banks, under an expanded banking authority as
provided in Section 21-B of the same Act.

Sec. 13. Subject to such guidelines as may be established by the Monetary, rural banks may invest in equities of the allied
undertakings are hereinafter enumerated: Provided, That: (a) the total investment in equities shall not exceed twenty- five
percent (25%) of the net worth of the rural bank; (b) the equity investment in any single enterprise shall be limited to fifteen
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percent (15%) of the net worth of the rural bank; and (c) the equity investment of the rural bank in any single enterprise shall
remain a minority holding in that enterprise: Provided, further, That equity investment shall not be permitted in non-related
activities.

Allied undertaking shall include:

a. banks, financial institutions and non-bank financial intermediaries;

b. Warehousing and other post-harvested facilities;
c. Fertilizer and agricultural chemical and pesticides distribution;
d. Farm equipment distribution;
e. Trucking an transportation of agricultural products;
f. Marketing and agricultural products;
g. Leasing; andOther undertakings as may be determined by the Monetary Board.

Sec. 14. The Land Bank of the Philippines, the Development Bank of the Philippines or any government-owned or –
controlled bank or financial institution shall, within sixty (60) days of certification of the Monetary Board, which shall be final,
extend to a rural bank a loan or loans from time to time repayable in ten (10) years, with concessional rates of interest,
against security which may be offered by any stockholders or stockholders of the rural bank: Provided:

a. That the Monetary Board is convinced that the resources of the rural bank are inadequate to meet the legitimate
credit requirements of the locality wherein the rural bank is established.;
b. That there is a dearth of private capital in the said locality; and
c. That it is not possible for the stockholders of the rural bank to increase the paid-up capital thereof.

Sec. 15. All rural banks created and organized under the provisions of this Act shall be exempt from the payment of all
taxes, fees and charges of whatever nature and description, except the corporate income tax and local taxes, fees and
charges, for a period of five (5) years from the date of commencement of operations.

All rural banks in operation as of the date of approval of this Act shall be exempt from the payment of all taxes, fees and
charges of whatsoever nature and description, except the corporate income tax and local taxes, fees and charges, for a
period of five (5) years from the approval of this Act.

Sec. 16. In an emergency or when a financial crisis is imminent, the Central Bank may give a loan to any rural bank against
assets of the rural bank which may be considered acceptable by a concurrent vote of at least four (4) members of the
Monetary Board.

In normal times the Central bank may rediscount against paper evidencing a loan granted by a rural bank to any of its
customers which can be liquefied for a period of three hundred sixty (360) days: Provided, however, That for the purpose of
implementing a nationwide program of agricultural and industrial development, rural banks are hereby authorized, under
such terms and conditions as the Central bank shall prescribe, to borrow, on a medium – or long-term basis, funds that the
Central Bank or any other government financing institution shall borrow from the Development Bank of the Philippines or
other international or foreign-lending institutions for the specific purpose of financing the abovestated agricultural and
industrial program. Repayment of loans obtained by the Central Bank of the Philippines or any other government financing
institutions from said foreign-lending institutions under this section shall be guaranteed by the Republic of the Philippines.

Sec. 17. Deposits of rural banks with government-owned or –controlled financial institutions like the Land Bank of the
Philippines, the Development Bank of the Philippines, and the Philippine national Bank are exempted from the Single
Borrower’s Limit imposed by the General Banking Act.

In areas where there are no government banks, rural banks may deposit in private banks more than the amount prescribed
by the Single Borrower’s Limit subject to Monetary Board regulations.

Sec. 18. To encourage consolidation and mergers of rural banks, if there are five (5) or more rural banks within the region
that merge and consolidate within three (3) years from the enactment of this Act, the merged or consolidated entity will be
given the following incentives for a period of seven (7) years:

a. Its deposit liabilities shall be subjected to only one-third (1/3) of reserves normally required for rural banks;
b. Its reserve requirement can all be maintained under interest-bearing government securities but kept unencumbered
with government financial institutions or the Central Bank; and
c. It shall have unrestricted branching right within the region, free from any assessment or surcharge required in setting
up a branch but under coordination with the Central bank which will have to assess that there are qualified
personnel, control and procedures to operate the branch.

Sec. 19. The Central Bank of the Philippines shall extend technical assistance to any rural bank in the process of
organization or during the course of operations whenever it is requested to do so or whenever the Monetary Board deems it
necessary to preserve, protect and promote the objectives of this Act: Provided, however, That said assistance shall be
without cost or obligation on the part of the rural bank.

Sec. 20. Any city or municipal trial court in his capacity as notary public ex officio shall administer the oath to or
acknowledgement the instruments of any rural bank and to borrowers or mortgagors, fee from all charges, fees and
documentary stamp tax, collectible under existing laws, relative to any loan or transaction not exceeding Fifty thousand
pesos (P50,000), or such amount as the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Monetary Board may prescribe
as may be necessary to promote and expand the rural economy.

Sec. 21. Any Register of Deeds shall accept from any rural bank and its borrowers and mortgagors for registration, free
from all charges, fees and documentary stamp tax, collectible under existing laws, any instrument, whether voluntary or
involuntary, relating to loans or transaction extended by a rural bank in an amount not exceeding Fifty thousand pesos
(P50,000): Provided, however, That charges, if any, shall be collectible on the amount in excess of Fifty thousand pesos
(P50,000); and that in instruments related to assignments of several mortgage consolidated in a single deed, if any, shall be
levied only on the amount in excess of Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000) of the consideration in the assignments of each
mortgage, of such amount as the Secretary of Finance, upon recommendation of the Monetary Board may prescribe as
may be necessary to promote and expand the rural economy.

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Sec. 22. Any rural bank organized under this Act may, pursuant to regulations promulgated for the purpose by the Monetary
Board, be required to contribute to the Central Bank an annual fee to help defray the cost of maintaining the appropriate
supervising department within the central bank in an amount to be determined by the Monetary Board but in no case to
exceed one-fortieth of one percent (1/40 of 1%) of its average total assets during the preceding year, as shown on its end-
of-month balance sheets, after deducting its cash on hand and amounts due from banks, including the Central Bank.

Sec. 23. Every individual acting as officer or employee of a rural bank and handling funds or securities amounting to Five
thousand pesos (P5,000) or more than one (1) year, shall be covered by an adequate bond as determined by the Monetary
Board; and the bylaws of the rural bank may also provide for the bonding of other employees or officers of rural banks.

Sec. 24. For the purpose of carrying out the objectives of this Act, the Central Bank is authorized to require the services and
facilities of any department or instrumentality of the Government or any officer or employee of any such department or
government instrumentality.

Sec. 25. Rural banks organized and operated under the provisions of this Act shall act as agents of the Philippine National
Bank, the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines in places where these banks have no
offices, subject to accreditation guidelines.

Sec. 26. Without prejudice to any prosecution under any law which may have been violated a fine of not more than ten
thousand pesos (P10,000) or imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but not more than ten (10) years, or both, at the
discretion of the court, shall imposed upon:

a. Any officer, employee, or agent of a rural bank who shall:

1. Make fake entries in any bank report or statement thereby affecting the financial interest of or causing
damage to, the bank or any person;
2. Without order of a court of competent jurisdiction, disclose any information relative to the funds or properties
in the custody of the bank belonging to private individuals, corporations, or any other entity;
3. Accept gifts, fees or commission or any other form of remuneration in connection with the approval of a loan
from said bank; or
4. Overvalue or aid in overvaluing any security for the purpose of influencing in any way the action of the bank
on any loan; or
5. Appear and sign as guarantor, indorser, or surety for loans granted; or
6. Violate any of the provisions of this Act.

b. Any applicant for a loan from, or borrower of a rural bank who shall:

1. Misuse, misapply, or divert the proceeds of the loan obtained by him from its declared purpose; or
2. Fraudulently overvalue property offered as security for loan from said bank; or
3. Give out or furnish false misrepresentation of material facts for the purpose of obtaining, renewing, or
increasing a loan or extending the period thereof; or
4. Attempt to defraud the said bank in the event of court action to recover a loan; or
5. Offer any officer, employee, or agent of a rural bank as a gift, fee, commission, or other form of compensation
in order to influence such bank personality in approving an application; or
6. Dispose or encumber the property or the crops offered as security for the loan.

c. Any examiner, or officer or employee of the Central Bank of the Philippines or other department, bureau, office,
branch or agency of the Government who is assigned to examine, supervise, assist or render technical services to
rural banks and who shall connive or aid in the commission of the same.

Sec. 27. Any municipal trial court judge or register of deeds who shall demand or accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, fee,
commission or other form of compensation in connection with the service, or the registration of documents required to be as
provided in Section 20 and by said register of deeds as proposed in Section 21 of this Act, shall be punished by One
thousand pesos (P1,000) or by imprisonment for not more than one (1) year, or both, at the discretion of the court.

Sec. 28. Any bank not organized under this Act and any person, association, or corporation doing the business of banking,
not authorized under this Act which shall use the words "Rural Bank" as part of the name or title of such bank or of such
person, association, or corporations, shall be punished by a fine of not less than Fifty pesos (P50) for each day during
which said words are so used.

Sec. 29. The Monetary Board of the Central Bank shall submit a report to the Congress of the Philippines as the end of
each calendar year of all the rules and regulations promulgated by it in accordance with the provisions of this Act, as well as
its other actuations in connection with rural banks, together with an explanation of its reasons therefor.

Sec. 30. If any provision or section of this Act or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the
other provisions or sections of this Act, and the application of such provision or section to other persons or circumstances,
shall not be affected thereby.

Sec. 31. Republic Act No. _____, as amended, is hereby repealed. The provisions of Republic Act No. 265, as amended,
and Republic Act No. 337, as amended, insofar as they are applicable and not in conflict with any provision of this Act, are
hereby made a part of this Act.

Sec. 32. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved,

NEPTALI GONZALES RAMON V. MITRA

President of Senate Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which is a consolidation of House Bill No. 28736 and Senate Bill No. 1554 was finally passed by the House of
Representatives and the Senate on January 22, 1992.

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CAMILO L. SABIO
Secretary of the Senate Secretary General
House of Representatives

Approved : April 02, 1992

CORAZON C. AQUINO
President of the Philippines

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